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iTunes Store Music Data Standards and Style Guide
v7
2013-10-11Apple Inc.
© 2013 Apple Inc.All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Apple Inc., with the following exceptions: Any person is hereby authorized to store documentation on a single computer for personal use only and to print copies of documentation for personal use provided that the documentation contains Apple’s copyright notice.
The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Inc. Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.
No licenses, express or implied, are granted with respect to any of the technology described in this document. Apple retains all intellectual property rights associated with the technology described in this document. This document is intended to assist iTunes Content Developers to manage and deliver content for the iTunes Store.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate. Apple is not responsible for typographical errors.
Apple Inc.1 Infinite LoopCupertino, CA 95014408-996-1010
Even though Apple has reviewed this document, APPLE MAKES NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS DOCUMENT, ITS QUALITY, ACCURACY, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. AS A RESULT, THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED “AS IS,” AND YOU, THE READER, ARE ASSUMING THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO ITS QUALITY AND ACCURACY. IN NO EVENT WILL APPLE BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECT OR INACCURACY IN THIS DOCUMENT, even if advised of the possibility of such damages THE WARRANTY AND REMEDIES SET FORTH ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHERS, ORAL OR WRITTEN, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. No Apple dealer, agent, or employee is authorized to make any modification, extension, or addition to this warranty.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of implied warranties or liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
iTunes Store Music Data Standards and Style Guide October 11, 2013CONFIDENTIAL
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Table of Contents................................................................................................................................Revision History 5
............................................................................................................................................Overview 6....................................................................................................................................Content Definitions 6
..........................................................................................Data Standards and Style Guidelines 7.....................................................................................................................................General Guidelines 7
................................................................................................................................................Artist Names 7
...........................................................................................................................Album and Track Titles 10
....................................................................................Soundtracks, Scores, and Albums in a Series 14
....................................................................................................................Crediting Featuring Artists 15
..................................................................................................................Titles with “vs.” and “Meets” 16
.....................................................................................................................................Presenting Artists 17
....................................................................................................................................Duplicate Albums 17
...................................................................................................Karaoke, Tribute, and Cover Albums 18
..................................................................................................................................Mixes and Remixes 19
..................................................................Capitalization, Abbreviations, Accents and Characters 21
.........................................................................................................................................................Genres 23
............................................................................................................................Original Release Dates 24
...............................................................................................................Complete and Partial Albums 24
.....................................................................................................................................Parental Advisory 24
............................................................................................................Automatically Censored Words 24
...................................................................................Cover Art and Booklet Design Specifications 25
...............................................................................................Cover Art, Booklet, and LP Art Policies 25
..............................................Continuous Mixes, Medleys, Snippets, and Advertisement Tracks 25
...................................................................................................................................................Ringtones 26
.............................................................................................................................................Music Videos 26
....................................................Additional Standards and Guidelines for Classical Music 28.............................................................................................................................Classical Artist Names 28
................................................................................................................................Classical Artist Roles 28
..........................................................................................................................................Primary Artists 28
.................................................................................................................................................Composers 30
.........................................................................................................................Additional Contributors 30
...............................................................................................................................................Album Titles 30
...............................................................................................................................................Opera Titles 31
.........................................................................................................................................................Tempo 32
.................................................................................................................................................Song Titles 32
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...........................................................................................................................Classical Abbreviations 34
...................................Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepalese, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan Content 35.....................................................................................................Artists, Translations, and Cover Art 35
.........................................................................................................................................................Genres 35
..................................................................................................................................Music from Movies 37
........................................................................................Additional Track Title Version Information 42
.............................................................................................................................Indian Classical Music 42
........................................................Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian Content 45..........................................Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian Metadata Guidelines 45
.........................................................................Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai Content 47...........................................................Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai Metadata Guidelines 47
..............................................................................................................................................Artist Names 47
.............................................................................................................................Hebrew Content 49...............................................................................................................Hebrew Metadata Guidelines 49
..............................................................................Appendix 1: Standards and Abbreviations 50.........................................................................................Table 1: Standard Classical Abbreviations 50
.............................................................................................................................Table 2: Classical Keys 52
...................................................................................................Table 3: Common Composer Names 53
.......................................................................Table 4: Common Orchestra and Conductor Names 54
.....................................................................................................Appendix 2: Language Codes 55
...................................................................................................................Appendix 3: Title Case 57
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Revision HistoryOctober 11, 2013—Version 7. Major updates to the Primary Artist Designation, Compound Artist, Live Content, Album Version Information,Credit at Track Level, Credit at Album Level, Genre, Sound-a-likes, Spanish and Portuguese Casing, Genre Accuracy, Parental Advisory, Subliminal Content, Nonstandard Music Videos, and the Classical Music sections.
The Public Domain section has been added, as well as the Lyric Videos section and new regional sections with locale-specific rules for Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, India, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Ukraine, and for content in Hebrew.
November 6, 2012—Version 6. Major updates to data standards.
April 11, 2011—Version 5. Significant enhancements to improve clarity. Added Key Definitions and Content Definitions for terminology used throughout. Graphical conventions added to highlight Critical Errors and examples. Clarified and added more examples throughout. Revised formatting.
March 5, 2010—Version 4.0. Added Various Artists and Versus (vs.), Meets, Presents. Updated instructions for iTunes Producer. Expanded Title Version explanation with clarified examples. Added more guidelines in Cover Art. Expanded Classical Style and Appendix sections.
February 12, 2009—Version 3.3. Expanded Title Version explanation. Addressed French- and German-language concerns. Added Duplicate Albums.
May 1, 2008—Version 3.1.1. Minor updates and changes necessary for internationalization. Changed track and album titling considerations for Italian, French and Swedish local content.
January 21, 2008—Version 3.1. Added Pop Style Guide, clarified examples.
April 2, 2007—Version 2.3. Minor update.
February 4, 2007—Version 2.2.1. Created standalone Style Guide.
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OverviewThis document provides styles, standards, and conventions for distributing music on the iTunes Store. This guide can help you technically format your music, art, and metadata to be optimized for discovery and presentation on the iTunes Store.
Following these guidelines can also reduce the time needed for your content to go live on the iTunes Store. Note that nonconforming content may be edited, rejected, or returned to you for correction.
This guide applies to all countries and languages, except Japan. A Japanese version of this guide is available on iTunes Connect. Use the English guidelines for any language which is not specifically addressed.
Content Definitions
Term Definition
Content A track, album, music video, or ringtone
Album A collection of tracks
Track A song or music video
Song An audio recording
Music Video A video for a song
Artist The primary performer (for example, an individual musician, a duo, or a band)
Title A track, album, music video, or ringtone title as it appears on the iTunes Store
Ringtone A standalone audio recording to be used as a ringtone for iPhone
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Data Standards and Style Guidelines
1. General Guidelines1.1. Use of Apple Inc. Copyrighted Terms. Content that is not produced by Apple Inc. must
not use Apple trademarks (such as the Apple logo, “Apple Inc.,” or “iTunes”) in the cover art or metadata in a manner that makes the content appear to be Apple-branded.
1.2. Language. The appropriate language code must be set in the metadata at the album level. For more information, see Appendix 2: Language Codes. Language codes should match the language of the metadata, not the audio.
1.3. Public Domain. In order to ensure the best possible customer experience, the iTunes Store may reject and remove duplicative or otherwise confusing copies of the same content.
When providing public domain content to the iTunes Store, send only a version created from the original recording source. If we receive what we recognize to be duplicative versions of the same content (such as the same album with a rearranged track list, or nearly identical greatest hits albums), they may be rejected or removed from the iTunes Store.
To also avoid customer confusion, tracks featuring samples that are in the public domain should credit the remixing or sampling artist, not the original sampled one.
Apple reserves the right to refuse content for violation of these rules or for other editorial reasons.
1.4. Localizations. Provide titles in the native language. Providing localizations for each territory is encouraged. If localizations for a particular language are not provided, users will see the default native language.
When the intended display of metadata is the same worldwide, do not include any localizations (except for Chinese language content). This includes cases where:
• The album’s native language is the desired view worldwide
• The title is an intentional mix of more than one language
2. Artist Names2.1. Primary Artist Designation. The main performing artist must be listed as Primary on
all content.
2.2. Formatting. Full, standard artist name spellings must be used for all main performing artists. The spelling of an artist’s name must be correct and remain consistent across all content for that artist. Western artists names must not be formatted as “Last name, First name” (for example, “Smith, Fred”).
2.3. Composers. Nonclassical composers must only be listed at the track level. For exceptions, see section 4. Soundtracks, Scores, and Albums in a Series.
2.4. Additional Information. The artist name must not include any additional information, such as role, date, instrument, former band, website, and so on.
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Correct Incorrect Reason
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani (Guitarist) Includes artist’s instrument
Slash Slash (Of Guns N’ Roses) Includes band name
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Includes birth and death dates
Joey Boy Joey Boy โจอี้ บอย Includes translation
2.5. Use of “Various Artists.” If there are four or more primary artists on the album, the primary album-level artist should be Various Artists. Do not list more than three Primary artists at the album level.
2.6. “Various Artists” at Track Level. Various Artists must not be a track-level artist, unless it is a continuous mix track performed by various artists.
2.7. Incorrect Presentation of “Various Artists.” Variations or abbreviations of “Various Artists” (for example, “V/A,” “V.A.,” “Various,” “Various Artist,” or “Varios”) must not be used as an artist name for English-language content.
Translated versions of “Various Artists” are acceptable as long as they are consistent with the content’s language.
Language Translation
Dutch Verschillende artiesten
French Multi-interprètes
German Verschiedene Interpreten
Italian Artisti Vari
Portuguese Vários intérpretes
Spanish Varios Artistas
Swedish Blandade Artister
2.8. Compound Artist. Each artist field must only contain one artist name.
Two or more performers or groups in the same artist field is called a compound artist. If there is more than one performing artist, each artist must be listed individually and identified as Primary.
Field Name Correct Incorrect
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Ebony & Ivory Ebony & Ivory
Paul McCartney (Primary)Stevie Wonder (Primary)
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (Primary)
Cruisin’ Cruisin’
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Field Name Correct Incorrect
Track Artist Huey Lewis & The News (Primary)Gwyneth Paltrow (Primary)
Huey Lewis & The News & Gwyneth Paltrow (Primary)
Artists who are generally listed together as a band are not considered compound artists and must be listed together. For example:
• Simon & Garfunkel
• Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe• Brooks & Dunn
• Katrina & The Waves
• Dizzy Gillespie & His Fab Five
• Hootie & The BlowfishDo not list both main artist and the artist’s accompanying band or the individual members of the group.
Correct Incorrect
Dave Holland Big Band (Primary) Dave Holland Big Band (Primary)Dave Holland (Primary)
Kiss (Primary) Kiss (Primary)Paul Stanley (Primary)Gene Simmons (Primary)Eric Singer (Primary)Tommy Thayer (Primary)
2.9. Generic Artists. Generic artists such as Chorus, Orchestra, or Singer are not accepted in any genre. Cast names must be specific to a given show or production.
Correct Incorrect
Original Broadway Cast of Cats Cast of Cats
“Cabaret” 1986 London Cast Cabaret - Cast
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3. Album and Track Titles3.1. Accuracy. Album and track titles must match their cover art.
3.2. Additional Information. Album or track titles must not include additional information unless it is needed to identify the content.
Correct Incorrect Issue
New York Eye & Ear Control New York Eye & Ear Control (1964)
Includes release date
Dawns Welcome to the Club (feat. Ricky J)
Dawns Welcome to the Club - Album (feat. Ricky J)
Includes “Album”
I'll Be Walking Alone in a Crowd 12. I'll Be Walking Alone in a Crowd
Includes track number
Campus Girl - Single Campus Girl (Produced By T.J. Douglas) - Single
Includes additional information at the album level
3.3. Singles. An album must be identified as a single if it contains one to three tracks that are less than 10 minutes each. Videos are not part of the track total.
If your album meets the criteria for a single but “- Single” is not included in the title, it may be automatically added by iTunes.
3.4. One-track Singles. One-track singles must have matching album and track titles, including any parentheses or brackets. The only exception is the addition of “- Single” in the album title.
Album Title
Track Title
Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) - Single
Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)
3.5. EPs. An album must be identified as an EP if it has:
• One to three tracks with one track at least 10 minutes long and a total running time of 30 minutes or less
• Four to six tracks with a total running time of 30 minutes or lessVideos are not part of the track total. For example:
• LoveStoned / I Think She Knows (Remixes) - EP
• Gårdakvarnar och skit - EPNote that if “- EP” is not included in the title, it may be automatically added by iTunes.
3.6. Audio Must Match. Audio files must match the track titles.
3.7. Generic Titles. Do not use generic track titles, such as Track 1 and Track 2, unless they are the actual titles of the tracks.
3.8. Multiple Albums and Tracks. Multiple album or track titles in the album title field must be separated by a slash. Note that you must place a space before and after the slash.
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Album Title
Album Title
The Sunset Sleeps / Hometown Gypsy - Single
Blonde on Blonde / Blood on the Tracks / Time out of Mind
3.9. Silent, Hidden, and Ghost Tracks. Silent, hidden, and ghost tracks must be clearly labeled in the track title.
Version Example
Silent Track Outro (Silent Track)
Hidden Track A Rockin' Good Way (Hidden Track) [feat. Maceo Parker]
Ghost Track Open My Eyes (Ghost Track)
3.10. Track Version Information. All track titles performed by the same artist on an album must be unique, except for different versions of the same track that are differentiated by Parental Advisory tags. To differentiate multiple versions of the same track title, use terms in parenthesis or brackets such as:
• Live
• Radio Edit• Extended Version
• Single VersionNote that the first explanatory reference must be enclosed in parentheses (”( )”) with any additional references enclosed in brackets (”[ ]”).
3.11. Use of “Exclusive” or “Limited Edition.” Album and track titles must not contain terms like “Exclusive” or “Limited Edition” because the titles are a permanent part of the content. The “Exclusive” or “Limited Edition” claim may only apply for a limited time.
3.12. References to Physical or Digital Content or Content Not Included. Album titles must not include explanatory terms that refer to the digital, physical, or location specific format of the content. For example, titles must not include:
• E-Release
• Digital Only• Digital Download
• Digital Single
• E-Album• With Digital Booklet
• 2 CD set
• European Edition• With Lyrics
3.13. Unnecessary Version Information. The standard, original version of a track must not include any additional information in the track title. For example, titles must not include:
• Album Version
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• Original Version
• Previously Unreleased• Reissue
• Original MixDo not submit any title version information that is already addressed with iTunes badges. For example, titles must not include:
• iTunes LP Version - iTunes displays a badge for this content.
• Clean Version - iTunes displays a badge for this content.• Explicit Version - iTunes displays a badge for this content.
• Mastered for iTunes - iTunes displays a badge or blurb for this content.3.14. References to Video Format. Music video titles must not include explanatory terms
that refer to the video format or specifications. For example, titles must not include:
• CC• Closed-Captioned
• PAL
• NTSC• 16 x 4
• Video, Clip, Video Clip, or Official Music Video
• Music Video
• EPK3.15. Album Version Information. If an album has been rereleased or if multiple versions of
one album exist, use the album title version to indicate how the version differs from the original recording.
Title Version
25th Anniversary Edition
Bonus Version
Rerecorded Version
1969 Version
Deluxe Version
3.16. Live Content. If a track is live, it must be indicated as “Live.” Territory specific versions (”Ao Vivo” in Portuguese and “En Vivo” or “En Directo” in Spanish”) should be used.
3.17. Bonus, Deluxe, or Extended Versions. If an album offers more content than the standard version of the album (for example, extra tracks or a bonus video), indicate the difference in the title.
If an audio-only version of a CD+DVD is delivered to iTunes, the album title must include the term “Audio Version.”
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Version Example
Bonus Track Version Taylor Swift (Bonus Track Version)
Deluxe Edition The Downward Spiral (Deluxe Edition)
Extended Version Come Around Sundown (Extended Version)
Bonus Video Version Playing the Angel (Bonus Video Version)
Bonus Digital Booklet Version Soldier of Love (Bonus Digital Booklet Version)
Audio Version Dave Matthews Band: Live at Piedmont Park (Audio Version)
3.18. Performance, Backing, and Split Tracks. If a track is a performance track, backing track, or split track, that information must be included in the title.
Version Example
Performance Track With Background Vocals
Sometimes I Cry (Performance Track with Background Vocals)
Backing Track What Is Life (Backing Track)
Split Track Your Everlasting Love (Split Track)
3.19. Rerecorded Versions. If a track is rerecorded, the track title must include “Rerecorded.”
Album Title
Track Title
In the Still of the Night (Rerecorded Version)
In the Still of the Night (Rerecorded)
Album Title
Track Title
The Legend of the Drifters (Rerecorded Version)
Stand by Me (Rerecorded)
3.20. Remastered Versions. If a track is remastered, the track title can include “Remastered.”
3.21. Multiple Version References. Content that requires multiple explanatory references in the title (for example, live EPs, soundtracks, live albums, and so on), must have the first explanatory reference in parentheses. All following references must be enclosed in brackets. Singular title version information must always be formatted in parentheses or in the title version field. Note that by delivering using the title version field, parentheses and brackets will be applied by Apple automatically.
Track Title
Track Title
Track Title
C'mon (Catch 'Em by Surprise) [Tiësto vs. Diplo] [feat. Busta Rhymes]
A Bay Bay (The Ratchet Remix) [Radio Edit] [feat. The Game, Lil Boosie, Baby, E-40, Angie Locc & Jadakiss]
(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave (In the Style of Martha Reeves) [Karaoke Version]
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4. Soundtracks, Scores, and Albums in a Series4.1. Album Version Information. Soundtracks and scores must include version information
in the album title and enclose it in parentheses or brackets.
Version Example
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Twilight (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Original Score Happy Feet (Original Score)
Music Inspired By the Film Dazed & Confused (Music Inspired by the Film)
Original Off-Broadway Cast The Threepenny Opera (Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Original Game Soundtrack Mass Effect (Original Game Soundtrack)
Music from the Original TV Series Breaking Bad (Music from the Original TV Series)
4.2. O.S.T. Abbreviation. The abbreviation for Original Soundtrack (O.S.T.) should not be used as an album or song title version for scores, movies, TV, musicals, or video games.
4.3. Composers. Scores for movies, TV, and musicals must list the composer on both the album and track levels.
4.4. Composers with Primary Role. For Soundtracks with one composer, the artists should be credited with both the Composer and Primary role at the album level. Composers can be credited in the Primary role at track level for any appropriate track.
Album Title
Album Artists
Track Titles
Track Artists
Sunday in the Park with George (Original Cast Recording)
Stephen Sondheim (Primary)Stephen Sondheim (Composer)
Sunday in the Park with GeorgeColor and LightFinishing the HatWe Do Not Belong Together
Mandy Patinkin (Primary), Bernadette Peters (Primary), Stephen Sondheim (Composer)
Album Title
Album Artists
Track Titles
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
John Williams (Primary)John Williams (Composer)
20th Century Fox FanfareMedley: Main Title / Rebel Blockade RunnerImperial AttackMedley: The Dune Sea of Tatooine / Jawa Sandcrawler
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Track Artists (All Tracks) John Williams (Primary)John Williams (Composer)
4.5. Track Version Information. If the tracks are not from the same soundtrack, the track title must indicate the soundtrack. To indicate the correct soundtrack, the track title must include (From “Soundtrack Name”). For example:
• Make 'Em Laugh (From “Singin' in the Rain”)
• Fast Streets of Shanghai (From “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”)4.6. Formatting. Album title formatting in a series must be consistent.
5. Crediting Featuring Artists5.1. Use of “feat.” and “with.” To credit a featuring artist and their role in a title field, use
“feat.” or “with.” Both must be in lower case, in English, not localized, and formatted in parentheses or brackets, where appropriate. Do not use any other spelling (for example, “featuring,” “Featuring,” “Feat,” “w/,” and so on).
Track Title (feat. Artist)
Track Title (with Artist)
Track Title (feat. Artist 1 & Artist 2)
Track Title (feat. Artist 1, Artist 2 & Artist 3)
Ayo Technology (feat. Justin Timberlake)
The Prayer (with Charlotte Church)
Shortie Like Mine (feat. Chris Brown & Johnta Austin)Cose della vita (feat. Maggie & Penta)
Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) [feat. Akon, Lil Wayne & Niia]
5.2. Use of Featuring or With Roles. Artists with the Featuring or With roles should not also be given the Primary role.
5.3. Credit at Track Level. The featured or “with” artist must be listed and identified at the track level.
Note that if the Featuring or With artist role is used, it will automatically be added by iTunes to the track title.
5.4. Featuring Role for Jazz Albums. Jazz albums featuring a sextet or smaller with consistent personnel across all tracks may use the Featuring role at the album level only to credit members of a group or soloists. Only the ensemble should be listed at the track level.
Album Title
Album Artists
Track Title
Critical Mass (feat. Chris Potter, Nate Smith, Steve Nelson & Robin Eubanks)
Dave Holland Quintet (Performer) (Primary)Chris Potter (Featuring) (Not Primary)Nate Smith (Featuring) (Not Primary)Steve Nelson (Featuring) (Not Primary)Robin Eubanks (Featuring) (Not Primary)
The Eyes Have It
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Track Artist Dave Holland Quintet (Performer) (Primary)
For large or small ensembles, the Featuring role may be used at the track level to call out soloists on individual songs.
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Track Artists
Track Title
Track Artists
Overtime
Dave Holland Big Band (Performer) (Primary)
Bring It On (The Monterey Suite, Pt. 1) [feat. Chris Potter & Kevin Eubanks]
Dave Holland Big Band (Performer) (Primary)Christ Potter (Featuring) (Not Primary)Kevin Eubanks (Featuring) (Not Primary)
Free for All (The Monterey Suite, Pt. 2) [feat. Taylor Haskins, Steve Nelson, Billy Kilson & Chris Potter]
Dave Holland Big Band (Performer) (Primary)Taylor Haskins (Featuring) (Not Primary)Steve Nelson (Featuring) (Not Primary)Billy Kilson (Featuring) (Not Primary)Chris Potter (Featuring) (Not Primary)
6. Titles with “vs.” and “Meets”6.1. Use of “vs.” or “Meets.” For artists using “vs.” or “Meets,” all artists involved must be
listed at the track level and identified as Primary. The terms “vs.” and “Meets” must only appear in the album or track title.
Track Title
Track Artists
Milk & Honey 100% Dubstepper (Vocal) [Moody Boyz vs. Prince Fatty]
Moody Boyz (Primary)Prince Fatty (Primary)
Track Title
Track Artists
Flesh (Jan Johnston Meets Tenishia)
Jan Johnston (Primary)Tenishia (Primary)
6.2. Primary Artist Designation. When “vs.” or “Meets” is used to describe an album on which two artists perform separate songs, both artists must be listed at the album level and identified as Primary. At the track level, each song must be listed with the primary artist who performs it.
6.3. Remixes. When “vs.” or “Meets” is used to describe an album that is a collection of different songs remixed by a single DJ, the mixing DJ must be listed at the album level and identified as Primary with the Remixer role. The original artists (whose songs are being remixed) must be listed at the track level and identified as Primary. The original artists must not be listed at the album level.
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7. Presenting Artists7.1. Nonperforming Presenting Artists. A nonperforming, presenting artist must only be
named in the title and not credited as an album or track artist.
Album Title
Album Artist
Lavapalooza (Richard Cheese Presents Johnny Aloha)
Johnny Aloha (Primary)
If the presenting relationship does not apply to every track, the nonperforming presenting artist should be named only in the track titles.
Track Title
Track Artist
Cold Summer (Young Jeezy Presents U.S.D.A.)
U.S.D.A. (Primary)
7.2. Performing Presenting Artists. A performing presenting artist must be credited at the track level and identified as Primary.
Track Title
Track Artists
Serious Love (Mind Fair Presents 21st Century Fox) [The Rhythm Odyssey Mix]
Mind Fair (Primary)21st Century Fox (Primary)
Track Title
Track Artists
Electrify (Fabio XB Rework Edit) [Lange & Fabio XB Present Yves De Lacroix]
Yves De Lacroix (Primary) Lange (Primary)Fabio XB (Primary)
8. Duplicate Albums8.1. Duplicate Albums. If two albums are true duplicates, one of them must be removed
from the iTunes Store. To see how to differentiate between similar albums, see Section 3. Album and Track Titles.
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9. Karaoke, Tribute, and Cover Albums9.1. Original Artist Name in Artist Field. For karaoke, tribute, and cover albums, the name
of the original artist must not be displayed in any artist field on the track level or the album level. For example:
• The Billy Joel Tribute Band is not an acceptable artist name.
• Karaoke must not be used as the artist name unless it is part of the legal entity name, such as The Karaoke Kangaroos or All Star Karaoke.
9.2. Original Artist Name in Track Titles. Track titles for cover songs or tributes must not make reference to the original artist. Do not use phrases such as “Originally Performed By,” “In the Style of,” “Tribute to,” or “Cover of.”
Karaoke track titles can make reference to the original artist. You must use clarifying language to ensure that consumers will not think those artists are performing. You should use phrases such as “Originally Performed By... (original artist name).”
9.3. Original Artist Name in Album Titles. The album title must not begin with the original artist name. For example, “Kelly Clarkson: The Bluegrass Tribute” is not an acceptable album title. Instead, format the title as “The Bluegrass Tribute to Kelly Clarkson.” For example, these album titles are acceptable:
Album Title
Album Artists
A Tribute to Bob Seger
Bob Hollis (Primary)South by South (Primary)
Album Title
Album Artists
Here Comes the Sun: A Reggae Tribute to The Beatles
Steel Pulse (Primary)The Burning Souls (Primary)
9.4. Karaoke Version Information. Titles of karaoke albums and tracks must indicate that they are an instrumental or karaoke version.
Version Example
Karaoke Version Grenade (Karaoke Version)
Instrumental Version Don’t Stop Believin’ (Instrumental Version)
Version karaoké Marguerite (Version karaoké)
9.5. Deceptive or Misleading. Tribute and cover albums must not be deceptive or misleading. Do not use genres, popular song lyrics, or the original artist names as the album title, track title, or artist for karaoke. Content that is considered deceptive or misleading will be removed from the iTunes Store. For example, the following is not accepted:
Album Title
Artist Name
Rolling in the Deep - Single
Rolling in the Deep
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Artist Name
Album Title
Track Title
Hey, I Just Met You
Here’s My Number
So Call Me Maybe
Artist Name
Album Title
Track Title
I’m at a Payphone
Trying To Call You
So All of My Change
Album Title
Track Title
Album/Track Artist
Sexy & I Know It (Dubstep Version) - Single
Sexy & I Know It (Dubstep Version)
DJ Dubstep
Album Title
Track Title
Album/Track Artist
Thrift Shop - Single
Thrift Shop (Clean Version)
Flannel Zebra Jammies
9.6. Music Videos. Do not provide Karaoke music videos.
9.7. Karaoke and Fitness & Workout Genres. Karaoke content must use Karaoke as the primary genre. This includes backing tracks, performance tracks, or any other type of content that could be identified as Karaoke.
Fitness remixes and fitness cover versions of tracks must use the Fitness & Workout genre at the album and track level.
9.8. Sound-a-likes. Sound-a-likes (cover songs that sound like copies of the original) or unauthorized remixes with deceptive or misleading audio, must not be delivered and will not be made available on the iTunes Store.
10. Mixes and Remixes10.1. Collections and Compilations. Albums that are a collection of different tracks mixed
together or compiled by a single DJ or artist, must list the DJ or artist at album level and identify them as primary. Do not use Various Artists as the artist name.
10.2. Primary Artist Designation. Tracks that are mixed or compiled must list the original artist at track level and identify them as primary. The original artist must not be listed as primary at the album level.
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Late Night Tales: Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian (Primary)
French Disko
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Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Stereolab (Primary)
Ring of Fire
Johnny Cash (Primary)
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Ultra.Latino (Mixed By DJ Buddha)
DJ Buddha (Primary)
Stereo Love (Spanish Version)
Edward Maya (Primary)
76, Ocean Drive (Apache Vocal Mix)
Nicola Fasano (Primary)Pat-Rich (Primary)
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Trance World, Vol. 12 (Mixed by Tenishia)
Tenishia (Primary)
The Other Side (Tenishia Intro Mix) [feat. Tenishia]
Susana (Primary)Tenishia (Featuring)
Let Go (Nic Chagall Remix Edit)
Aruna (Primary)Mark Eteson (Primary)
10.3. Remix Version Information. Albums that are a collection of remixes of the same track, must communicate this in the album title. To avoid identical track titles, the titles must include enough information about the remixes to differentiate them.
Album Title
Track Titles
Stereo Love (Remixes)
Stereo Love (Extended Mix)Stereo Love (Molella Remix Radio Edit)Stereo Love (Molella Remix)Stereo Love (Massivedrum DJ Fernando Remix)Stereo Love (DaBo Remix Edit)
Album Title
Track Titles
Always Loved a Film (Remixes)
Always Loved a Film (Michael Woods Remix)Always Loved a Film (Radio Edit)
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11. Capitalization, Abbreviations, Accents and CharactersTo ensure that accents and capitalizations appear correctly on the iTunes Store, the appropriate language must be set in the metadata. iTunes reserves the right to correct any errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
11.1. Nonstandard Capitalization. Titles must not be in all capitals, all lower case, or random casing.
Incorrect Reason
YOUNG AMERICANS Title is all upper case.
the downward spiral Title is all lower case.
a TIMe to lOVE Title has random capitalization.
11.2. Abbreviation of Part and Volume. The words Part and Volume must be abbreviated with “Pt.” and “Vol.” Titles should be formatted as “Title, Vol. x” and “Title, Pt. x,” where x is a number.
Album Title
Track Titles
Dead Presidents, Vol. 1
The Payback, Pt. 1Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2
11.3. English Title Casing. English albums and track titles must be in title case format and follow the casing conventions as outlines in Appendix 3: Title Case. In addition, for English, words before and after a dash (-), slash (/), or colon (:) must be capitalized.
11.4. Spanish and Portuguese Casing. For Spanish and Portuguese album and track titles, the content provider can decide on either title or sentence casing, as long as the casing is consistent through a given album. Capitalize the first word in parentheses or brackets. In addition, words after a dash (-), slash (/), or colon (:) must be capitalized. For example:
• Luz da Tua Voz (Ao Vivo)• Popurrí: Guitarras de media noche / Ya no me quieres / Paloma querida (En
directo) • Sevillanas: La vuelta del camino
The following Spanish words should always be lower cased:
a e las poral el los unde en o unadel la para y
The following Portuguese words should always be lower cased:
a das nas pelaà de no pelas
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a das nas pelaao do nos peloaos dos o pelosas e os poràs em ou umda na para uma
11.5. Swedish, French, and Italian Casing. Swedish, French, and Italian album and track titles must be formatted in sentence case format.
Album Title Track Title
L’amour dans la rue Jonques de pêcheurs au crépuscule
Il mondo che vorrei Les chants magnétiques
C’è chi dice no Il mondo che vorrei
Hoppa upp! E adesso che tocca a me
För sent för edelweiss Kärlek är ett brev skickat tusen gånger
Swing de Paris Sur les monts d'Auvergne
11.6. German Casing. German album and track titles must use sentence case and the first letter of every noun must be capitalized.
Album Title Track Title
Was ihr wollt Ich tu dir weh
So ist das Spiel Dicke Mädchen haben schöne Namen
11.7. Hörspiel Formatting. Hörspiel (a German dramatized performance or reading) album and song titles must be formatted as follows:
Album Title
Track Titles
Folge 103: Der Hexenschatz
Bibi Blocksberg LiedKapitel 1: Florian braucht HilfeKapitel 2: Mit Sina zum PalastKapitel 3: Im Labyrinth der SteineKapitel 4: Braue den Hextrank!
Note that the language for all parts or chapters music be “Teil” or “Kapitel.”
Hörspiele that are not part of a series but may be based on a movie or TV show must be formatted as follows:
Album Title Cars 2 (Das Original-Hörspiel zum Film)
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Track Titles
Cars 2 - Teil 1Cars 2 - Teil 2Cars 2 - Teil 3Cars 2 - Teil 4
11.8. Accents and Characters Required. Supported languages must include all accents. For a list of supported languages, see Appendix 2: Language Codes. For example:
• Hôtel d’Angleterre
• Révérence• Kärlek är ett brev skickat tusen gånger
• Max Gazzè
• L’uomo più furbo
• Les plus belles chansons françaises• Un monstre à Paris ! (du film « Un monstre à Paris »)For German names and titles, all characters common in German orthography must be used (for example, Ä ä, Ö ö, Ü ü, ß). Do not use digraphs.
Correct Incorrect
Ihre größten Erfolge Ihre groessten Erfolge
1000 Träume weit 1000 Traeume weit
12. Genres12.1. Accuracy. Genres must not be egregiously misclassified (for example, Hip Hop/Rap in
place of Children’s Music).
For a complete list of acceptable genres, see the iTunes Package Music Specification Addendum: Music and Music Video Genre Codes in the Deliver Your Content module on iTunes Connect. Not every genre has a genre page in iTunes and the list may change at any time.You must only select genres from this list, regardless of what language your content may be in (for example, a French track should be submitted as Hip Hop/Rap). Genre names are automatically translated for each iTunes Store territory
The first genre listed will be the primary genre and must be the best description for the content. The secondary genre provides an additional search term that may help users find the content. A second genre is not required, but it should be used when applicable.
Content will only chart in the first primary genre. Albums with Latin genres will chart in both the primary and secondary genres.
12.2. Latin and Brazilian Genres Providers of Latin and Brazilian genres must use a more specific genre (for example, Pop Latino or Tropical) instead of more generic genres, such as Latino or Pop.
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For additional genre rules for Indian content, see section 32. Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepalese, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan Content.
13. Original Release DatesThe original release date can differ from the sales start date. The sales start date is the date on which an album will be available for purchase in a given territory on the iTunes Store.
13.1. Accuracy. The original release date must be the date that the original physical product was first released regardless of the releasing label, or format type (for example, eight-track, LP, or CD). The original release date for rerecords must be the first date the rerecord was available, and not the release date of the original recording.
If there is no corresponding physical content, the date of the first digital release must be used. Additional versions of an album that are not rerecords (for example, remastered, reissued, or bonus versions) must still be given the original release date of the original version, not the release date of the new version.
14. Complete and Partial Albums14.1. All Tracks Required. For the digital version of an album, all tracks that exist on the
physical version must be delivered and the track numbering must match. The total track count must be provided in your delivery.
14.2. Complete Albums Required. An album is incomplete if it is missing tracks that are available on the physical version (in the same territory). For example, if the physical version of an album has ten tracks, and the version provided to iTunes contains eight tracks, the album is incomplete. In the iTunes Store, the album will be marked with a Partial flag and the Buy Album button will not be displayed.
15. Parental Advisory15.1. Explicit Content Flagging. An explicit track must be flagged Explicit with a parental
advisory tag.
15.2. Clean Version Flagging. Clean versions of explicit tracks must be flagged Clean to prevent customers from accidentally purchasing an edited version. Tracks must only be flagged Clean if there is a corresponding explicit version of the track. Versions marked as “Null” will not be accepted.
Note that terms like “(Clean),” “(Clean Version),” “(Edited),” “(Edited Version),” “(Explicit),” “(Explicit Version),” “(Edited),” or “(Edited Version)” must not be used for track or album titles.
16. Automatically Censored Words16.1. Censoring Words. Artist names, track titles, and album titles must be submitted in the
original form that was intended by the artist. Explicit words are automatically
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censored in the iTunes Store (for example, f**k, or s**t). Do not insert the asterisks yourself.
17. Cover Art and Booklet Design Specifications17.1. Cover Art Size. Cover art must be at least 1400 x 1400 pixels. Larger images are
recommended. The aspect ratio must be 1:1.
17.2. Booklet Dimensions. Booklets must have a minimum dimension of 11 x 8.265 inches and be a minimum of four pages and full bleed. A DIN A1 or larger page layout should be used.
18. Cover Art, Booklet, and LP Art Policies18.1. Quality. Images must not be blurry, pixelated, mismatched, misaligned, rotated,
incorrect, or have other quality issues.
18.2. Competing Websites. Art must not contain website addresses for websites that sell music downloads or compete with iTunes.
18.3. “iTunes” or “Apple Inc.” Art must not contain the words “iTunes” or “Apple Inc.”
18.4. Apple Logo or the Term “Exclusive.” Art must not contain the Apple logo or the term “Exclusive” without prior authorization from Apple.
18.5. References to Physical Packaging or Retailers. Art must not include references to the physical packaging (for example, CD or cassette) or any other retailers.
18.6. Digital Product. Art must not include references to it being a digital product.
18.7. Pricing. The art must not include references to pricing, including “Reduced Price,” “Low Price,” “Available for $9.99,” or “For Promo Use.”
18.8. Pornography. Art must not contain pornography or a URL for a website that contains or links to pornography.
18.9. Up-selling. The art must not up-sell to another product.
18.10. Misleading. The art must not be misleading (for example, prominently depicting or referencing an artist even though the artist does not perform on the album).
18.11. Missing Content. Art must not contain references to content that the album doesn't contain, such as “included DVD” or “includes lyrics.”
18.12. Nazi Symbolism. The art must not contain Nazi symbolism restricted by the Strafgesetzbuch section 86a, if the content is visible in DE, AT, or CH.
19. Continuous Mixes, Medleys, Snippets, and Advertisement Tracks19.1. Continuous Mixes Version Information. A continuous mix track combines shorter
songs into one long track. The longer track must be clearly labeled as a continuous mix.
19.2. Songs Must Be Available Individually. A continuous mix must only be on an album that offers the exact same songs for individual purchase.
Album Title UKF Dubstep 2010
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Track Title (1)
Track Title (2)
Track Title (16)
Oxygen (Gemini Remix)
Cracks (Flux Pavilion Remix) [feat. Belle Humble]
UKF Dubstep 2010 (Continuous DJ Mix)
19.3. Medley Version Information. Medleys are defined as multiple songs woven together and should be separated by a forward slash.
Track Titles Over the Moor to Maggie / Fred Finn’s / The Hunter’s House
19.4. Snippets and Advertisement Tracks Not Permitted. Snippets are defined as partial segments of songs that are meant to advertise the full-length content. Advertisement tracks are defined as full or partial songs that contain additional audio meant to advertise the album, individual songs, or other content.
19.5. Subliminal Content Not Permitted. Content that advertises subliminal audio will not be accepted.
20. Ringtones20.1. Ringtones on Music Albums. Ringtones must be submitted as ringtones, not songs.
Music albums must not include ringtone tracks.
20.2. Ringtone Version Information. Albums, artists or track titles must not include any descriptive language such as “Tone,” “Alert Tone,” “Text Tone,” “Ringtone,” “Ringtone Version,” and so on.
21. Music Videos21.1. Subtitles. Music videos must not contain subtitles or lyrics displayed as subtitles.
21.2. Lyric Videos. Official lyric videos in which the lyrics of the song are stylized as the main focus must include “(Lyric Video)” in the title.
21.3. Graphic Overlays. Music videos must not contain chyrons, lyrics, or lower-third graphics.
21.4. Explicit Content. Music videos that contain nudity, drug references, or depictions of drug use must be marked “Explicit.”
21.5. Pornography. Music videos must not contain pornography.
21.6. Release Dates or Advertisements. Music videos must not contain release dates, logos, or advertisements.
21.7. Nonstandard Music Videos. Music videos that are artist interviews, commentaries, behind the scenes, or similar in content must be bundled with a music album and cannot be sold individually.
21.8. Promotional Still Image Videos. Promotional videos (such as videos displaying only the cover art and audio or slide shows) will not be accepted.
21.9. Inactive Pixels. Music videos must not contain inactive pixels.
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21.10. Live Performance Music Videos. Live performance music videos from the same concert must not be submitted as multiple videos and instead submitted as one concert film.
21.11. Music Videos From Films. Music videos taken from musical films must contain a title version that refers to the film such as (From “Name of Film”).
21.12. Teasers, Trailers and Partial Videos. Music videos which have been shortened or edited into a promotional teaser, trailer or partial version will not be accepted.
21.13. Additional Information. Music videos must not contain the terms “Clips from...,” “Official Music Video,” “Full Song Video,” “Full Version,” or other extraneous information. Albums containing only videos (which are not Live Performance Music Videos) must contain “(Video Album)” in the album title.
21.14. Music Video Cover Art. Music videos must use clips from the videos for cover art. Other images, such as album cover art, will not be accepted.
21.15. Music Video Quality. Music videos with poor quality (such as glitches, blurriness, incomplete video or audio, no audio, out of sync audio and video, and so on) will not be accepted.
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Additional Standards and Guidelines for Classical MusicThis section contains additional standards that are specific to Western classical content. For standard composer names, album titles, song titles, and other information for classical content, consult Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians or The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. An alternative resource is the International Music Score Library Project website.
The three key aspects of delivering classical music are:
• Composers must be added at the album and at the song level in the role (Composer)
• Any and all artists or ensembles performing on a track must be listed in the role (Primary)
• Classical formatting is very specific. All titles must be consistently formatted.
22. Classical Artist Names22.1. Formatting. The standard artist name and spelling, with no abbreviations, commas, or
additional information must be used.
Correct Incorrect
Wolfgang Amadeus MozartMozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Mozart
Frédéric ChopinFrédéric François Chopin
Frédéric ChopinF. Chopin
Modest Mussorgsky Modest Mussorgsky (arranged by Ravel)
Samuel Ramey Samuel Ramey (Figaro)
The Sixteen Sixteen, The
For details on these standards, see Table 1: Standard Classical Abbreviations, Table 3: Common Composer Names, and Table 4: Common Orchestra and Conductor Names in Appendix 1: Standards and Abbreviations.
23. Classical Artist Roles23.1. Accuracy. Compositions must include information about the artists and contributors,
if available.
To have an artist page on the iTunes Store, a classical artist must be identified as either Primary or Composer.
24. Primary Artists24.1. Primary Artist Designation. All performers must be identified as Primary in classical
albums (for example, symphonies, choirs, ensembles, conductors, accompanists, featured soloists, and so on). For additional information, see section 25. Composers.
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24.2. Primary Artists for Operas. Opera’s female lead (prima donna) and male lead (primo donno) in operas recordings should be credited as Performer at the album level and marked Primary. Crediting the second female lead (seconda donna) and second male lead (secondo donno) additionally is also acceptable.
24.3. Primary Artists for Ensembles. If a named ensemble is performing, the full name of the ensemble must be used for chamber music works (for example, “Emerson String Quartet”). Individual members of a named ensemble should not also be listed as primary but can be listed as a non-primary performer. If the album contains a collection of artists assembled only for the purposes of one particular album, each individual artist must be credited at the album and track level with the Performer role and marked Primary.
24.4. Use of “Various Artists” or a Subset of Artists. If there are four or more primary performers on the album, the primary artist at the album level should be either “Various Artists” (if the album is a compilation) or a subset of the most significant artists. A subset is only acceptable at the album level. At the track level, all primary artists must be identified. This does not apply to complete opera albums on which more than four primary artists may be listed.
Album Title
Album Artists
Track Artists
Bach: Christmas Oratorio
English Baroque Soloists (Primary)John Eliot Gardiner (Primary)Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer)
Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Primary)Ruth Holto (Primary)English Baroque Soloists (Primary)John Eliot Gardiner (Primary)Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer)
Album Title
Album ArtistsAlbum ArtistsAlbum ArtistsAlbum ArtistsAlbum ArtistsAlbum ArtistsAlbum ArtistsAlbum Artists
Composer
Mozart: Don Giovanni, K. 527
Ildebrando d’Arcangelo
Luca Pisaroni
Diana Damrau
Joyce DiDonato
Rolando Villazón
Mojca Erdmann
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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25. Composers25.1. Use of Composer Role. At least one composer must be listed at the album level and
the track level of each track. Composers may not be listed as Primary unless they are performing on the recording as a soloist or conductor. Composers performing as a member of a larger ensemble may not be listed as Primary.
If the album is a collection of composers or works, at least one composer must be listed. For example, the album “Best of the Baroque” would likely credit Johann Sebastian Bach with the Composer role at the album level. Individual composers must be listed at the track level.
25.2. Unknown Composers. If the album contains selections of unknown authorship (such as Gregorian chant) the composer should be Anonymous or Traditional.
25.3. Misuse of Composer Role. The lyricist, librettist, or similar artists must not have the Composer role.
25.4. Composer Name Spelling. Common alternate spellings of composer names (such as Chaikowksy) will be automatically corrected. Tickets will be issued for egregious misspellings or missing composer names, and must be corrected. For a list of common composer names, see Table 1: Common Composer Names.
26. Additional Contributors26.1. Additional Role Designation. Additional contributors, such as producers or incidental
performers, may be marked according to their role. Production roles such as Producer or Engineer must not be listed as Primary.
27. Album Titles27.1. Formatting. Classical albums should include the last name of the composer in the
album title followed by the title of the composition. The composer’s first initial or first name followed by the last name is also acceptable. Compilation albums, or albums with a specific title, don’t need to list a composer in the album title:
• Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001-1006
• Mozart: Requiem, K. 626
• Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
• Best of the Baroque
• Best of Puccini
• Verdi: La Traviata
27.2. Two Composers in Title. If an album features similar types of music from two composers, their names may be combined in the title:
• Debussy & Ravel: String Quartets
• Mozart & Haydn: String Quartets
27.3. Multiple Composers in Title. If there are several composers with different pieces, each pairing should be listed in the title and separated by a dash:
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• Allegri: Miserere - Pergolesi: Stabat Mater - Caldara: Stabat Mater
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21
27.4. English Casing. Album titles in English must be in title case.
• Glass: Glassworks
• Caldara: Opera Arias
27.5. Swedish, French, and Italian Casing. Album titles in Swedish, French, and Italian must be in sentence case. For additional information, see section 11.5 Swedish, French, and Italian Casing.
• Debussy: Préludes deuxième livre & Six épigraphes antiques
• Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore
27.6. German Casing. Album titles in German must follow the new German orthography. For additional information, see section 11.6 German Casing.
27.7. Recording Dates. If the album title contains the recording date, include “Recorded” followed by the year. For example, “Recorded 1954).”
28. Opera Titles28.1. Formatting. The title of the opera must begin the title of every track and a colon
should be used only once:
• Don Giovanni, K. 527, Act II: “Il mio tesoro intanto”
• La Traviata, Act I: “Libiamo, libiamo...”
• Falstaff, Act III, Scene 2: “Tutto nel mondo è burla”
28.2. Consistency. Track titles should be treated consistently. For example, if an album of opera selections includes character information for one title, the information should be included for all other titles.
Track Title
Track Title
Track Title
Track Title
La bohème, Act II: Quando m'en vo (Musetta)
Turandot, Act III: Nessun dorma (Calaf )
The Magic Flute, K. 620, Act II: O Isis und Osiris (Sarastro und Chor)
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 64: Now until the Break of Day (Oberon, Tytania, Puck, Fairies)
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29. Tempo29.1. Casing. English tempo markings must use title casing. Italian and French tempo
markings must use sentence casing:
• Quiet Fast
• Quietly Flowing Along
• Allegro con brio
• Andante sostenuto - Moderato con anima - Moderato assai
• Assez vif - Très rythmé
30. Song Titles30.1. Formatting. Song titles for classical music must be formatted as [Name of Work] in
[Key], [Catalog Number]: [Movement Number]. [Movement Title]
Formatting is only expected if the information exists. Not all titles have all information available. For example, if no catalog number exists, it is not required. List the key in the title if it is standard practice to do so. If it isn’t standard to list the key, it is not required.
For example:
• Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
• Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056: III. Presto
Nonstandard repertoire can vary:
• Three Lyric Pieces, Op. 47: No. 1, Summer Song
• Die Winterreise, D. 911: No. 24, Der Leiermann
For movements or sections of a piece, roman numerals up to 20 can be used. If a piece contains more than 20 sections, standard notation is acceptable (such as “No. 1,” “No. 2,” and so on).
30.2. Colons, Dashes, and Commas. Colons, dashes, and commas have specific roles in the track-title formatting. The colon separates a larger piece from an individual movement and should only be used once.
• Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro
• Partita for Solo Flute in A Minor, BWV 1013: I. Allemande
• Madama Butterfly, Act II: “Già il sole!”
The dash separates different sections or movements within a single track.
• Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 311: II. Minuet - Trio
• Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98: III. Allegro giocoso - Poco meno presto
Commas should be used where appropriate.
• Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: I. Allegro
• Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1: III. Adagio con espressione
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30.3. Extraneous Translations in Title. Titles for classical music should not include irrelevant translations. When a title is commonly known, it does not need to be translated. Common terms, such as allegro, do not need to be translate either.
Correct Incorrect
Le sacre du printemps, Pt. 1 “L'adoration de la terre”: Cortège du sage
Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), Première partie “L'adoration de la terre” [Part One “The Adoration of the Earth]: Cortège du sage [Procession of the Sage]The Rite of Spring, Pt. 1 “The Adoration of the
Earth”: Procession of the Sage
Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring), Première partie “L'adoration de la terre” [Part One “The Adoration of the Earth]: Cortège du sage [Procession of the Sage]
Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”: I. Allegro
Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525 “A Little Bit of Night Music”: I. Cheerful
Обручение в монастыре (Betrothal in a Monastery), Act I: Antonio's Serenade
Обручение в монастыре, Акт I: Серенада Антонио / Betrothal in a Monastery, Act 1: Antonio's Serenade
30.4. Keys. For information on accepted casing and spelling of keys, see Table 2: Classical Keys in Appendix 1: Standards and Abbreviations.
30.5. Works. Complete works such as a symphony or an opera can be grouped together as “works.” Each “work” must have at least two tracks attached. A few selections from a complete work must not be grouped together as a “work” and should be delivered as individual tracks.
30.6. Recording Dates. If the album title contains the recording date, include “Recorded” followed by the year. For example, “(Recorded 1954).”
30.7. Additional Information. Any additional information must be placed within parentheses at the end of the track title (for example, version or edition information, crediting an arranger, and so on).
Correct Incorrect
Kinderszenen, Op. 15: VII. Träumerei (Arr. for Cello and Piano)
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (Arr. for Cello and Piano): VII. Träumerei
The Rite of Spring, Pt. 2 “The Sacrifice”: Sacrificial Dance (Revised 1947 Version)
The Rite of Spring, Pt. 2 “The Sacrifice” (Revised 1947 Version): Sacrificial Dance
Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade IV (Orch. Ravel)
Pictures at an Exhibition (Orch. Ravel): Promenade IV
30.8. Tracks Without Movement Title. If a track has no specific movement title, the movement number should be followed by an extended dash:
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046: I. —Six Preludes Untitled: No. 6 —
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31. Classical AbbreviationsFor accepted abbreviations of classical works, see Table 1: Standard Classical Abbreviations in Appendix 1: Standards and Abbreviations. For additional references for classical music, see the Oxford Music Online website.
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Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepalese, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan Content
32. Artists, Translations, and Cover Art32.1. Artist Names. Standard artist names and spellings must be used. For additional artist
rules for all content, see section 2. Artist Names.
Correct Incorrect
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam SPB
K. S. Chithra Chitra
Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna M Balamurlikrishna
K. J. Yesudas Yesudas
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Bhimsen Joshi
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Ghulam Ali
32.2. Music Directors on Soundtrack Albums. All music directors must be listed. Music Directors should be listed twice at the album level, as Performer (Primary) and as Composer (Not Primary). At the track level, the music director must be listed as Composer (Not Primary), and can also be listed as a Performer (Primary).
32.3. Primary Performer Roles. All the main performing artists must be listed as Performer (Primary) on each track. The composers of soundtracks should be listed as (Primary) at the album level. Singers should be listed as Performers (Primary) at the track level. For non-soundtrack albums, the singers should be listed as Performer (Primary) at the album and the track level.
32.4. Featuring Performer Roles. Artists, actors, commentators, and so on, can be listed with the Featuring role (Not Primary) for tracks with dialog or spoken word.
32.5. Lyricists. Lyricists or songwriters should be listed with the Songwriter (Not Primary) or Lyricist (Not Primary) role.
32.6. Actors. Actors should not have a primary role and should be listed with the Performer (Not Primary) role. For more information, see section 2. Artist Names.
32.7. Include All Artists Listed on the Cover Art. All participants listed on the cover art must be included in the metadata with their appropriate roles.
33. Genres33.1. Indian Genres. Indian music must have at least one Indian or Indian sub-genre for the
album (Primary or Secondary, as applicable).The language-specific genre should be Primary for Indian soundtrack albums. The music-specific genre should be Primary for Indian pop, Indian folk, Indian classical, devotional and spiritual, Sufi, and Ghazals albums. If a secondary genre is required, it is included in the examples below.
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Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Albums
Hindi Albums
Primary Genre
Secondary Genre
Bollywood
Soundtrack
Tamil Albums
Primary Genre
Secondary Genre
Tamil
Soundtrack
Telugu Albums
Primary Genre
Secondary Genre
Telugu
Soundtrack
Other languages (Bhojpuri, Oriya, Assamese, and so on)
Primary Genre
Secondary Genre
Regional Indian
Soundtracks
Devotional and Spiritual Albums
Primary Genre Devotional & Spiritual
Indian Pop Albums
Primary Genre Indian Pop
Indian Folk Albums
Primary Genre Indian Folk
Sufi Albums
Primary Genre Sufi
Ghazal Albums
Primary Genre Ghazals
Indian Classical Albums (Hindustani and Carnatic Classical)
Vocal Classical Albums
Primary Genre Indian Classical
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Instrumental Classical Albums
Primary Genre
Secondary Genre
Indian Classical
Instrumental
34. Music from Movies34.1. Soundtrack Albums with one Music Director. Albums with songs from a single movie
must include ”(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” in the album title. As noted in 32.2 Music Directors on Soundtrack Albums, music directors must be listed as Composer and Performer (Primary) at the album level. Music directors for the individual tracks should be listed in the Composer role at the track level.
Tamil Soundtrack
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Maryan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
A. R. Rahman (Performer) (Primary)A. R. Rahman (Composer) (Not Primary)Dhanush (Performer) (Not Primary) Parvathi (Performer) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorMusic DirectorActorActor
Tamil Primary Genre
Soundtrack Secondary Genre
Innum Konjam Naeram
A. R. Rahman (Composer) (Not Primary) Vijay Prakash (Performer) (Primary) Shweta Mohan (Performer) (Primary)A. R. Rahman (Songwriter) (Not Primary)Kabilan (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSinger Singer LyricistLyricist
Naetru Aval
A. R. Rahman (Composer) (Not Primary) Vijay Prakash (Performer) (Primary) Chinmayi (Performer) (Primary) Valee (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSinger SingerLyricist
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Bollywood Soundtrack
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Krrish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Rajesh Roshan (Composer) (Not Primary) Rajesh Roshan (Performer) (Primary)Hrithik Roshan (Performer) (Not Primary)Priyanka Chopra (Performer) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorMusic DirectorActorActor
Bollywood Primary Genre
Soundtrack Secondary Genre
Pyaar Ki Ek Kahani
Sonu Nigam (Performer) (Primary)Shreya Ghoshal (Performer) (Primary)Rajesh Roshan (Composer) (Not Primary)Nasir Faraaz (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
SingerSingerMusic DirectorLyricist
Koi Tumsa Nahin
Sonu Nigam (Performer) (Primary)Shreya Ghoshal (Performer) (Primary)Rajesh Roshan (Composer) (Not Primary)Ibraheem Ashk (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
SingerSingerMusic DirectorLyricist
34.2. Soundtrack Albums with Multiple Music Directors. All music directors must be listed as Performer (Primary) and as Composer at the album level. Music directors for the individual tracks should be listed as Composer at the track level.
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Indian Album with Multiple Music Directors
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Murder 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with the playlist title
Harshit Saxena (Performer) (Primary)Harshit Saxena (Composer) (Not Primary)Mithoon (Performer) (Primary)Mithoon (Composer) (Not Primary)Sangeet Haldipur (Performer) (Primary)Sangeet Haldipur (Composer) (Not Primary)Siddharth Haldipur (Performer) (Primary)Siddharth Haldipur (Composer) (Not Primary)Emraan Hashmi (Performer) (Not Primary) Jacqueline Fernandez (Performer) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorMusic DirectorMusic DirectorMusic DirectorMusic DirectorMusic DirectorMusic DirectorMusic DirectorActorActor
Bollywood Primary Genre
Soundtrack Secondary Genre
Hale Dil
Harshit Saxena (Composer) (Not Primary)Harshit Saxena (Performer) (Primary)Sayeed Quadri (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSinger Lyricist
Aa Zara
Sangeet Haldipur (Composer) (Not Primary)Siddharth Haldipur (Composer) (Not Primary)Sunidhi Chauhan (Performer) (Primary)Kumaar (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorMusic DirectorSingerLyricist
Aye Khuda
Mithoon (Composer) (Not Primary)Kshitij Tarey (Performer) (Primary)Saim Bhat (Performer) (Primary)Mithoon (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSingerSingerLyricist
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34.3. Compilations of Soundtracks. Albums containing tracks from multiple movies must specify the movie in the track titles. The track title must indicate the soundtrack in the format “- Track title (From “Movie Name”).” For more information, see section 4. Soundtracks, Scores, and Albums in a Series.
Indian Soundtrack Compilation
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Lat Lag Gayee
Various Artists (Performer) (Primary) “Various Artists” because each track has a different music director.
Soundtrack Primary Genre
Indian / Bollywood Secondary Genre
Rabba Mere Rabba (From “Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai”)
Track title includes the movie name the track is from.
Anu Malik (Composer) (Not Primary) Sonu Nigam (Performer) (Primary)Sameer (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSingerLyricist
Mashup (From “Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story”) Track title includes the movie name the track is from.
Sachin-Jigar (Composer) (Not Primary)Kiran Kamath (Performer) (Primary)Priya Panchal (Songwriter) (Not Primary)Mayur Puri (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorDJ ArtistLyricistLyricist
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34.4. Compilations for one Singer or Composer. Albums with up to three primary performers (singers or composers) must list the primary performers at the album level.
Indian Compilation for One Singer
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
The Golden Voice
Kishore Kumar (Performer) (Primary) Singer
Bollywood Primary Genre
Soundtrack Secondary Genre
Meet Na Mila Re Man Ka (From “Abhimaan”)
S. D. Burman (Composer) (Not Primary) Kishore Kumar (Performer) (Primary)Majrooh Sultanpuri (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSinger Lyricist
Yeh Kya Hua (From “Amar Prem”)
R. D. Burman (Composer) (Not Primary) Kishore Kumar (Performer) (Primary) Anand Bakshi (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSinger Lyricist
Indian Compilation for One Composer
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Best of A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman (Performer) (Primary)A. R. Rahman (Composer) (Not Primary)
Music Director
Bollywood Primary Genre
Soundtrack Secondary Genre
Behka (From “Ghajini”)
A. R. Rahman (Composer) (Not Primary)Karthik (Performer) (Primary)Prasoon Joshi (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSinger Lyricist
Arziyan (From “Delhi 6”)
A. R. Rahman (Composer) (Not Primary)Javed Ali (Performer) (Primary)Kailash Kher (Performer) (Primary)Prasoon Joshi (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSingerSingerLyricist
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34.5. One Track Singles from Soundtracks. Singles from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack should have the same album and track title in the format “– Track Title (From “Movie Name”).”
Indian Singles from Soundtracks
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Tu Hi Khwahish (From “Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Dobara”) - Single
Track title with the movie name
Pritam (Performer) (Primary)Pritam (Composer) (Not Primary)Sunidhi Chauhan (Performer) (Primary) Rajat Arora (Songwriter) (Not Primary)Akshay Kumar (Performer) (Not Primary)Imran Khan (Performer) (Not Primary)Sonakshi Sinha (Performer) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorMusic DirectorSingerLyricistActorActorActor
Bollywood Primary Genre
Soundtrack Secondary Genre
Tu Hi Khwahish (From “Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Dobara”)
Pritam (Composer) (Not Primary) Sunidhi Chauhan (Performer) (Primary) Rajat Arora (Songwriter) (Not Primary)
Music DirectorSingerLyricist
35. Additional Track Title Version Information35.1. Title Version Spelling and Abbreviation. Standard spellings with no abbreviations
should be used for track title version information. For example, “Male Version,“ “Female Version,“ “Happy Version, “ “Sad Version,” and so on. For more information, see section 3.10. Track Version Information.
35.2. Dialog, Instrumental, and Remix Title Versions. Dialog (such as songs with dialogs from an original motion picture), instrumental, and remix versions must include the track title version information. Soundtrack remixes should not include the movie titles if the track is not from the original soundtrack.
36. Indian Classical Music36.1. Indian Classical Artist Roles. For Indian Classical Albums, the main performers must be
listed as Artist (Primary) at the album and track level. Artist listings must include all relevant artists and contributors to a given song or album. The accompanists and percussionists should be (Primary) on the track level only. For Jugalbandi albums all the artists should be listed as (Primary) performers on the album and the tracks. Composers should be in the Composer role only.
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36.2. Indian Classical Genres. For Indian classical albums, the primary genre must be Indian Classical. Instrumental Indian classical albums should use Instrumental as the secondary genre.
36.3. Formatting of Indian Classical Track Titles. Track titles for Indian classical music must include the lyrics, raga, tala, and Indian classical genre information (Thumri, Khayal, Tarana, and so on). Variations or abbreviations of Raga and Taal (such as, raaga, raag, rag, tal, and so on) must not be used in the album or track title. Generic titles like Bhajan, Dhun, Ragam, or Tanam are not acceptable.
Indian Classical Vocal Album
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
Worship by Music: Pandit Jasraj (Live at Indian Night Stuttgart, 1988)
Pandit Jasraj (Performer) (Primary)Sabir Khan (Performer) (Not Primary)Sultan Khan (Performer) (Not Primary)
SingerTabla PlayerSarangi Player
Indian Classical Primary genre
Vocal Secondary genre
Raga Ahir Bhairav: Khayal In Slow Ek Taal “Rasiya Mhara”/ Khayal In Fast Teen Taal “Aaj to Anand” (Live)
Track title with lyrics, raga, and taal information.
Pandit Jasraj (Performer) (Primary)Sabir Khan (Performer) (Primary)Sultan Khan (Performer) (Primary)
SingerTabla PlayerSarangi Player
Indian Classical Instrumental Album
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Title
Track Artist
India's Maestro of Melody: Live Concert, Vol. 7 Playlist marked ‘Live’
Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (Performer) (Primary)Anindo Chatterjee (Performer) (Not Primary)
Sitar playerTabla player
Indian Classical Primary genre
Instrumental Secondary genre
Raga Maru Bihag: Alap, Jod (Live) Track marked ‘Live’
Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (Performer) (Primary)Anindo Chatterjee (Performer) (Primary)
Sitar PlayerTabla Player
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Indian Classical Jugalbandi Instrumental Album
Field Name Metadata Notes
Album Title
Album Artist
GenresGenres
Track Artist
Jugal Bandi – Saxophone & Clarinet
Kadri Gopalnath (Performer) (Primary) Narasimhalu Vadavati (Performer) (Primary)
Saxophone PlayerClarinet Player
Indian Classical Primary genre
Instrumental Secondary genre
Kadri Gopalnath (Performer) (Primary) Narasimhalu Vadavati (Performer) (Primary)
Sitar PlayerTabla Player
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Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian Content
37. Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian Metadata Guidelines37.1. Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian Localizations. Russian albums must not
use transliterated Russian in the album and track title. Use Cyrillic in the native title field and English in the English localization field. English localizations are not required. For example, these are acceptable:
Field Name Russian (Native) English (Localization)
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
О нём About Him
Ирина Дубцова Irina Dubtsova
Шёлк Silk
Ирина Дубцова Irina Dubtsova
Перекрёстки Crossroads
Ирина Дубцова Irina Dubtsova
Belarusian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian albums must follow the Russian guidelines.
Field Name Ukrainian (Native) English (Localization)
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Мiра Measure
Океан Eльзи Okean Elzy
День у день Day by Day
Океан Eльзи Okean Elzy
Зеленi очi Green Eyes
Океан Eльзи Okean Elzy
37.2. Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian Casing. Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian albums and track titles should be submitted in sentence cased format.
If necessary, use the following table for phoneticized Russian when transliterating artist names for English localizations:
Cyrillic Phoneticized Cyrillic Phoneticized
А, а A (a) Р, р R (r)
Б, б B (b) С, с S (s)
В, в V (v) Т, т T (t)
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Cyrillic Phoneticized Cyrillic Phoneticized
Г, г G (g) У, у U (u)
Д, д D (d) Ф, ф F (f )
Е, е E (e) Х, х KH (kh)
Ё, ё E (e) Ц, ц TS (ts)
Ж, ж ZH (zh) Ч, ч CH (ch)
З, з Z (z) Ш, ш SH (sh)
И, и I (i) Щ, щ SHCH (shch)
Й, й Y (y) Ъ, ъ -
К, к K (k) Ы, ы Y (y)
Л, л L (l) Ь, ь -
М, м M (m) Э, э E (e)
Н, н N (n) Ю, ю YU (yu)
О, о O (o) Я, я YA (ya)
П, п P (p)
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Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai Content
38. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai Metadata GuidelinesIf an alternate local language title exists for the content, it may be provided instead of a translation of the original title. For example, these album titles are acceptable:
Field Name English Japanese
Album Title Ellie, My Love いとしのエリー
Field Name English Chinese
Album Title Take Me to Your Heart 吻別
38.1. Chinese Localizations. Chinese language content must be submitted with Traditional Chinese in the native field and Simplified Chinese in the localization field.
38.2. Side-by-Side Translations. Except for Korean, side-by-side translations are not accepted.
38.3. Korean Side-by-Side Translations. Korean content with side-by-side translations must have Korean first, followed by English without parentheses. This does not apply to artist names.
Correct Incorrect
말해봐 Talk Talk 말해봐 Mal Hae Bwa
그대네요 It’s You Geu Dae Ne Yo 그대네요
묻지 않을게요 묻지 않을게요 (Mudji Aneulgeyo)
Wouldn’t Ask You Mudji Aneulgeyo
38.4. Phonetics. Thai, Chinese, and Korean phonetics of any sort are not accepted in album, song, or music video titles.
39. Artist NamesIf a non-Western artist has an English or international band or artist name, that name should be provided in the native field. The native field should be used for internationally recognized representations of artist names, songs, or album titles. Localization fields may be used for representations familiar to the local market, if different from the international version.
Information for artists that are not internationally recognized may be represented in the local language in the native field. Additional localizations in other languages are optional.
39.1. Chinese Artist Localizations. Chinese content should always have the Traditional Chinese name of the artist in the native field. Simplified Chinese translations must be provided in the localization fields.
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39.2. Chinese Artists with Western Names. If the artist of Chinese content has a Western name, the name should be listed for non-Chinese localizations in the order of “Given name, Family name.” For example, these album artists are acceptable:
Field Name Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese English
Album Artist 成龍 成⻰龙 Jackie Chan
Field Name Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese English
Album Artist 周杰倫 周杰伦 Jay Chou
39.3. Chinese or Korean Artists Without Western Names. If the artist does not have a Western name, the phonetic name may be listed in localizations in the order of “Family Name Given Name.”
The Korean artist “박지윤” should be provided in English:
Field Name Korean English
Album Artist 박지윤 Park Ji Yoon
The Chinese artist “蔡琴” should be provided in English:
Field Name Chinese English
Album Artist 蔡琴 Tsai Chin
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Hebrew Content
40. Hebrew Metadata Guidelines40.1. Hebrew Localizations. Artists names must be in Hebrew in the native field for Hebrew
content. The transliterated Hebrew version of the artist name must be used in the English localization field. Hebrew albums should use Hebrew scripts in the album title, track titles, and artist names, and English in the localization field. For example, the following are acceptable:
Field Name Hebrew English
Album Title
Album Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
Track Title
Track Artist
מרוץ החיים Merotz Hachaim
שרית חדד Sarit Hadad
הגֹורל הטוב Hagoral Hatov
שרית חדד Sarit Hadad
אהבה בתיכי Ahava Betochi
שרית חדד Sarit Hadad
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Appendix 1: Standards and Abbreviations
Table 1: Standard Classical AbbreviationsThe table below lists all accepted abbreviations for classical music on the iTunes Store. This list may be updated.
Catalog Abbreviation Example
Catalog of the works of Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach by Alfred Wotquenne Wq. Hamburger Sonata in G Major for Flute
and Continuo, Wq. 133
Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach by Wolfgang Schmieder (sometimes designated by “S.”)
BWV Partita for Solo Flute in A Minor, BWV 1013
Catalog of the works of Béla Bartók by András Szöllösy Sz. Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116
Catalog of the works of Luigi Boccherini by Yves Gérard G. Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 6 in
D, G. 479
Buxtehude-Werke-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of Dietrich Buxtehude by Georg Karstadt
BuxWV Toccata in F Major, BuxWV 156
Catalog of the works of Marc-Antoine Charpentier by Wiley Hitchcock H. Messe de minuit, H. 9
Catalog of the works of Claude Debussy by François Lesuré L. La Mer, L. 109
Catalog of the works of John Dowland by Diana Poulton P. Galliard in G Minor, P. 30
Catalog of the works of Antonín Dvořák by Jarmil Burghauser
B. Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 98, B. 178 - “From the New World”
Catalog of the works of Giovanni Gabrieli by Richard Charteris C. Canzon Noni Toni a 12, C. 183
Catalog of the works of Louis Moreau Gottschalk by Robert Offergeld RO Grande tarantelle for Piano and
Orchestra, Op. 67, RO 259
Handel-Werke-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of George Frideric Handel by Berend Bäselt
HWV The Messiah, HWV 56
Catalog of the works of Franz Joseph Haydn by Anthony van Hoboken Hob. Symphony No. 101 in D Major, Hob. I:101 -
“The Clock”
Catalog of the works of Johann Michael Haydn by Lother Perger (P.) Symphony in B-Flat Major, (P. 18)
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Catalog Abbreviation Example
Catalog of the works of Franz Liszt by Humphrey Searle S. Liebestraum No. 3 in A-Flat, Op. 62, S. 541
Lully-Werke-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of Jean-Baptiste Lully by Max Schneider
LWV Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, LWV 43: Overture
Catalog of the works of Felix Mendelssohn MWV Double Concerto for Piano, Violin, and
Orchestra in D Minor, MWV 04: I. Allegro
Catalog of the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Köchel K. Requiem in D Minor, K. 626
Catalog of the works of Henry Purcell by Franklin J. Zimmerman Z. Abdelazer Suite, Z. 570: II. Third Act Tune -
Rondo
Catalog for the works of Maurice Ravel M. Boléro, M. 81
Catalog of the works of Ottorino Respighi by Potito Pedarra [P.] Pini di Roma (The Pines of Rome) [P. 141]
Catalog of the works of Giovanni Bautista Sammartini by Newell Jenkins and Bathia Churgin
J-C- L’addolorata Divina Madre, J-C- 123
Catalog of the keyboard works of Domenico Scarlatti by Ralph Kirkpatrick Kk. Keyboard Sonata in D Minor, Kk. 9
Catalog of the keyboard works of Domenico Scarlatti by Alessandro Longo (L.) Sonata in B Minor, Kk. 197 (L. 147)
Catalog of the works of Franz Schubert by Otto Erich Deutsch D. Die Winterreise, D. 911
Schütz-Werke-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of Heinrich Schütz by Werner Bittinger
SWV Saul, Saul, was verfolgst du mich, SWV 415
Catalog of the violin concertos of Giuseppe Tartini by Minos Dounias (D.) Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, (D. 15)
Telemann-Werke-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of Georg Phillip Telemann by Werner Menke and Martin Ruhnke
TWV Fantasia for Solo Violin No. 1 in B-Flat Major, TWV40:14
Catalog of the works of Giuseppe Torelli by Franz Giegling (G.) Trumpet Sonata in D, (G. 1)
Catalog of the works of Heitor Villa-Lobos W Douze études pour guitare, W235
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Catalog Abbreviation Example
Ryom-Verzeichnis catalog of the works of Antonio Vivaldi by Peter Ryom RV The Four Seasons - Violin Concerto in E
Major, RV 269, “Spring”
Catalog of the works of Carl Maria von Weber by Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns J. Rondo Brilliante, “La Gaite,” Op. 62, J. 252
Derived from the Latin “deesse” meaning to be absent. This may follow the catalog abbreviation to designate a work which does not appear in that particular catalog (ex. K. deest). Plural is “desunt.”
deest Larghetto and Allegro for 2 Pianos in E-Flat, K. deest
“Werk ohne Opuszahl” or “Work without opus number,” typically unpublished works or works that were not assigned an opus number by the composer
WoO Bagatelle in A Minor, WoO 59 “Für Elise”
“Opus number,” generally a chronological publication or composition number that may have been assigned by either the publisher or composer. Includes works from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Op. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 53
Table 2: Classical KeysRegional and language differences may affect the way that musical terms are notated. iTunes uses English as the standard language. When submitting metadata, refer to the following table for the list of acceptable keys.
KeysKeys
C Major / C Minor / C-Sharp Minor F-Sharp Major / F-Sharp Minor
F Major / F Minor B Major / B Minor
B-Flat Major / B-Flat Minor E Major / E Minor
E-Flat Major / E-Flat Minor A Major / A Minor
A-Flat Major D Major / D Minor / D-Sharp Minor
D-Flat Major G Major / G Minor / G-Sharp Minor
G-Flat Major
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Table 3: Common Composer NamesFor composers who already have content available on the iTunes Store, use the existing spelling found there. For questions regarding the spelling of composer names, consult Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians or The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. The following table lists a few well-known composers.
Composer NamesComposer NamesComposer Names
Isaac Albéniz Mikhail Glinka Maurice Ravel
Johann Sebastian Bach Christoph Willibald Gluck Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Mily Balakirev Edvard Grieg Gioacchino Rossini
Béla Bartók George Frideric Handel Camille Saint-Saëns
Ludwig van Beethoven Franz Joseph Haydn Arnold Schoenberg
George Bizet Vincent d’Indy Franz Schubert
Alexander Borodin Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov Robert Schumann
Ferruccio Busoni Leoš Janáček Alexander Scriabin
Dietrich Buxtehude Aram Khachaturian Dmitri Shostakovich
Frédéric Chopin Zoltán Kodály Jean Sibelius
Francesco Ciléa Édouardo Lao Bedřich Smetana
César Cui Orlando di Lasso Johann Strauss II
Claude Debussy Gustav Mahler Igor Stravinsky
Léo Delibes Felix Mendelssohn Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Frederick Delius Olivier Messiaen Georg Philipp Telemann
Josquin Des Prez Claudio Monteverdi Edgard Varése
Antonín Dvořák Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ralph Vaughan Williams
Sir Edward Elgar Modest Mussorgsky Tomás Luis de Victoria
Manuel de Falla Niccolò Paganini Hugo Wolf
Gabriel Fauré Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Carl Maria von Weber
César Franck Sergei Prokofiev Anton Webern
Giovanni Gabrieli Johann Joachim Quantz Iannis Xenakis
Carlo Gesualdo Sergei Rachmaninoff Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander Glazunov
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Table 4: Common Orchestra and Conductor NamesFor questions regarding the spelling of orchestra and conductor names, consult Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians or The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. The following table lists a few well-known orchestras and conductors.
Orchestras Conductors
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Claudio Abbado
Berliner Philharmoniker Marin Alsop
Boston Symphony Orchestra Sir Thomas Beecham
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Leonard Bernstein
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig Karl Böhm
London Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Colin Davis
London Symphony Orchestra Wilhelm Furtwängler
Los Angeles Philharmonic Valery Gergiev
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia James Levine
Orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris Kurt Masur
Philadelphia Orchestra Sir Neville Marriner
Philharmonia Orchestra Riccardo Muti
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Seiji Ozawa
San Francisco Symphony Sir Georg Solti
Wiener Philharmoniker Bruno Walter
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Appendix 2: Language CodesThe following table is a list of the language codes supported by iTunes for use in the <language> and <locale> tags. As a best practice, when specifying a language in the <language> and <locale> tags, use only the “language” portion of the language code; do not provide the “region” subtag unless it supplies useful information, such as spelling variations between countries. For example, for Korean, you should use <language>ko</language> instead of <language>ko-KR</language>. For English, use <language>en</language> instead of <language>en-US</language> or <language>en-GB</language>.
These codes are formatted according to the best practices recommended by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). An overview of best practices is available from the W3C.
If you have been using language tags with region subtags to comply with prior versions of this guide, they will be accepted. However, the language tags in the table below are preferred.
Language Supported values for <language> and <locale> in the metadata
Arabic ar
Cantonese yue-Hant
Catalan ca
Chinese (Simplified) cmn-Hans
Chinese (Traditional) cmn-Hant
Croatian hr
Czech cs
Danish da
Dutch nl
English en
Estonian et
Finnish fi
French fr
German de
Greek el
Hebrew he
Hungarian hu
Icelandic is
Indonesian id
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Italian it
Japanese ja
Korean ko
Lao lo
Latvian lv
Lithuanian lt
Malay ms
Norwegian no
Polish pl
Portuguese pt
Romanian ro
Russian ru
Slovak sk
Spanish es
Swedish sv
Tagalog tl
Thai th
Turkish tr
Ukrainian uk
Vietnamese vi
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Appendix 3: Title CaseThe following words must be in lower case, with a few exceptions:
• a, an, and, as, but, for, from, nor, of, or, so, the, to, and yet.
• Prepositions of four letters or fewer (at, by, for, from, in, into, of, off, on, onto, out, over, to, up, and with), except when the word is part of a verb phrase or is used as another part of speech (such as an adverb, adjective, noun, or verb).
For example:
• In the Still of the Night
• (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman• To Be, or Not to Be
• The One and Only
• God Willing & the Creek Don't Rise• Some Kind of Trouble
• Love: And a Million Other Things
• Journey: Greatest Hits• I Need a Doctor
• Just the Way You Are
• Waiting for the End
• The Ballad of Mona Lisa• Lost in a Pair of Eyes
• I Got The - Single
• The Love I’m Searching For
Exceptions for Lowercase Words
Always capitalize the first and last word in a title. Capitalize the first and last word in parentheses. For example:
• To Be, or Not to Be
• What They're Looking For
• War (What Is It Good For?)• (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman
These rules also apply for purposely misspelled words.
• “In da House”
• “Kill 'Em n' Grill 'Em”
• “It's fo' Realz”
Uppercase Words in Title Case
Are, If, Is, It, Than, That, This
General Rules
For general cases not addressed in this guide, refer to The Chicago Manual of Style.
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